Hands In The Sky
by icaughtfire
Summary: Sequel to Drop In The Ocean. Dylan is gone. Paige and Alex have to pick up the pieces. Palex femslash.
1. The Perfect Ending

**Disclaimer: I don't own Degrassi, or the lyrics used in this story. Those belong to Straylight Run.**

**"Hands In The Sky"**

Chapter One - The Perfect Ending

- So if you made it  
Just be glad that you did and stay there  
If you ever feel loved or needed  
Remember that _you're one of the lucky ones_ -

**Paige's POV**

Things had been wonderful the past few months. Alex was living with me in my fantastic little house, and we were together again. I was happier than I had been in a long time. I was still acting, and Alex had decided to go back to college. She wanted to become a therapist. I was glad she finally had some direction, and being a therapist seemed like her calling. She could help people like her, and she could be there for people who needed her. Alex was excited about doing that, and it was good to see her excited about a job. I knew she would be amazing in whatever she chose to do. I was so proud of her.

Alex and I decided to go out together to blow off some steam. We headed to one of the hottest clubs in LA. It was crazy. The lights were bright and flashy, the music was loud, and I couldn't help but remember the night of the premiere. The night when it all really began. Here we were, reunited and ready to hit the dance floor.

When we started dancing together, I noticed a few guys inching closer, watching us. I rolled my eyes, pulling Alex closer to me, swaying against her. She smiled, throwing her arms around me protectively. We danced like that for what seemed like an eternity.

"Baby, I'm gonna get us something to drink." Alex shouted over the music, giving my hand a squeeze. I nodded, still dancing as she walked over to the bar. A guy scooted in, trying to dance with me. I scoffed, pushing him away.

"No thanks." I said, not bothering to pay much attention to him. He frowned, looking upset. He didn't go away, either. He stood there, staring at me.

"Why not?" He asked, as if he was heaven on earth. I shook my head in disbelief.

"Because I have a GIRLFRIEND." I was getting sick of guys hitting on me all the time. It seemed like I had thousands of male admirers, and it was driving me insane. I had a girlfriend, and I didn't appreciate them trying to get with me all the time. After I said that, Alex came towards me, carrying our drinks. The guy looked at her, and then back at me.

"Seriously?" A grin appeared on his scheming face. I saw a glint in his eye. Alex got on defensive mode, stepping towards him and cracking her knuckles threateningly.

"Fuck off." She growled, handing the drinks to me and giving him a shove. He backed up, not wanting to get into a confrontation with a pissed off lesbian. I didn't blame him. She glared at him, and he ran off, anxious to get away. I turned to Alex, aware of the giant smirk on her face.

"Well, that was fun." She winked, taking me over to a vacant table. We sat down and began to drink our margaritas. She looked so hot tonight, hotter than usual. It was probably because of the different lighting. She looked amazing in the club lights. I smiled at her, taking a sip of my fruity drink.

"I'm getting sick of guys being...the way they are. I swear, I think I should just publicly come out so they'll stop pestering me all the time. Maybe then I'll just get some female admirers." I let out a laugh when I came to the last part, seeing Alex's jealousy.

"They can't help it, Paige. You're HOT. And besides, when guys like you, I'm fine. But girls? That's another story. I don't need any competition." She raised an eyebrow, and I leaned forward, giving her a peck on the lips.  
"Please. Like anyone could compare to you."

---

Coming out to the public actually didn't sound like a bad idea. I'd been hiding my true self ever since I got into the entertainment industry. I wanted to just be myself, and be able to take Alex with me without people asking questions. If being a lesbian was going to hurt my career, then it wasn't worth it anyway. It had helped other people. Ellen Degeneres was a huge deal now, so I didn't figure my being gay made much of a difference. It didn't affect whether or not I was a good actress.

"I think I wanna tell everyone I'm gay." I announced to Justin, my co-star and best friend on set. He looked up from his script, obviously surprised.  
"Really?" He questioned, taking a drink of water. I nodded, gazing over at him.

"Yeah. I do Soap Talk this week. I think I'll talk about it on there."

---

Sure enough, I went on Soap Talk on Friday. The hosts, Lisa Renna and Ty Treadway, were really nice. I'd watched the show a few times before, and it had always been pretty interesting. I was beyond nervous as I was standing backstage, waiting for my entrance. Part of me was nervous about being on tv and well, not acting. And the other part of me was scared because I knew what I was getting ready to do. When I heard Lisa announce my name, I stepped out onto the stage. The crowd erupted into applause and I smiled, making my way over to the guest couch.

"So, Paige, this is your first time on the show. You've been on All My Children for about a year and a half now. How's that been?" Ty asked, looking at me.  
"Oh, it's been terrific. The cast is all really nice and everything, and I've loved every minute of it. I've made a lot of new friends and it's just been a joy to work with all of them." I answered happily.

"Have you made any..._romantic _connections on the show?" Lisa brought up. I bit my lip. Now was the moment. It was now, or never.

"No. I actually have a girlfriend right now -- so she'd be pretty upset if I had made some romantic connection on the show." I laughed, my stomach twisting up into knots.  
"Oh! Your girlfriend? I didn't know you had a girlfriend." Ty replied. I knew he couldn't find anything else to say. I couldn't help but smile.

"Yes. We're high school sweethearts. She's amazing," I paused. "I'd do the Tom Cruise thing and grab her and take her out here to show all of you, but she's not here. I'll jump up and down on the couch if you want me to, though."

They both laughed, and then came the commercial break. I knew they cut me off earlier than expected, and I couldn't help feeling a little upset. But I felt better backstage, when a few people congratulated me and told me how great I'd been. It was as if a weight had been lifted off my shoulders. The whole world would know soon enough that I was a lesbian, and taken by a wonderful girl. So I was happy.

When I got back to the All My Children set, Justin asked me if I'd done it. I told him I had, and he was so happy for me. He gave me a hug, and I called Alex to tell her the news. She was a bit shocked at first, but was excited too once she realized what this meant. She could go with me to events, and I could show her off.

The joy got cut off when my cell phone rang, and I could feel the blood draining from my face.

"There's been an accident."

**A/N: Oooh, what a cliffhanger! Hope you like this first chapter, and I'd love it if you'd review. I'm going to be trying really hard to start writing longer chapters, and from now on, any author's notes will be at the end of the chapter so they don't disrupt the flow of anything.**


	2. Another Word For Desperate

**"Hands In The Sky"**

Chapter Two - Another Word For Desperate

-So tip the bottle back,  
Bubble foam,  
And watch it break,  
We can all be sure,  
**Something awful's coming this way** -

**Paige's POV**

In the second that I got the phone call, I thought a million things. I didn't know yet what had happened, or who it had happened to. I hoped that Alex was okay. My heart pounded loudly as I sat there, cell phone to my ear.  
"You need to come to the hospital." It was Alex talking to me. If I hadn't been so freaked out, I'd have realized that before. So that meant she was okay.

"What happened?" I asked frantically, grabbing all of my stuff and rushing out to the car. I was going to get to the hospital as fast as I possibly could.  
"Dylan and Marco. They got into a car accident." Alex said quietly.. I knew she was trying her hardest not to cry, because if she cried, that would freak me out even more. I was silent for a few minutes as I drove to the hospital, just listening to Alex breathe. It was calming.

"So are they okay?" I questioned suddenly, picturing a dozen gruesome situations in my head. Car accidents could be bad. Really bad. I didn't want to picture it anymore.  
"Well, the car is totaled. Marco has a few broken ribs, I guess -- I had to tell them I was family for them to even tell me that. And then Dylan, well they can't tell me anything until you get here. But he's in the ICU." Alex rushed through the last part, and I could tell something bad was the matter. I sped up, driving to hospital at 80 mph, parking the car and running into the hospital.

"Thank god you're here," Alex threw her arms around me. I felt her shaking against my body. I held her close, tears spilling out. I was glad she was trying to be the strong one. "Doctor, this is Paige Michalchuk. Please -- tell her how Dylan's doing." Alex pleaded with the man standing there. He nodded, turning to Paige.

"He's not concious right now. When the accident happened, there was a car that ran directly into the side of their car. It hit the driver's side with a hard impact. Dylan's withdrawn into a coma. He broke his arm, a few ribs, and his neck. He's got quite a few bruises in other places as well. We're not sure if he's going to wake up. He's in pretty bad condition." The doctor said gently, gazing at me. I didn't look at him. I couldn't. I grabbed Alex's hand, squeezing it forcefully. I started sobbing, throwing myself into her arms again. What if Dylan never woke up?

"Can I go in to see Marco?" Alex asked the doctor, still holding me close to her. When he said yes, we broke apart and went into Marco's room. He was lying there in the bed, his face looking pretty beat up. There were tears in his eyes. When we walked in, he sat up a little. I could tell it hurt him to even sit up like that.

"How is he?" Marco whimpered. He couldn't imagine his life without Dylan. He was scared. The doctors hadn't told him anything at all, and he was getting frustrated.

"He's in a coma." Alex said softly, biting her lip. I couldn't get any words to come out. I was too shocked and upset. Tears continued to stream down my face as Marco looked at me, losing it too. Both of us cried for a long time. Alex stood there, a helpless glint in her eye. She didn't know what to say to make us feel better. And I know it killed her not to be able to fix it.

"I'll go get us some coffee and some snacks." Alex announced, getting ready to step out the door. I grabbed her arm, not wanting her to go. She gave me a kiss on the forehead, smoothing out my hair. "Don't worry. I'll be right back. I promise. You just stay here with Marco. He needs you."

I took a place beside of Marco's bed. He reached for my hand, and I offered it to him. His hand was cold and clammy. I brought it to my lips, kissing it lightly.  
"I don't want him to die." Marco cried out, crumpling up into a heap on the bed. His body rocked with sobs, and I sat there, holding his hand. I couldn't offer any consoling words. I didn't know what to say. It was hard for me. Dylan was my brother, and knowing that he might not wake up was the worst feeling in the world.

**--------**

Alex's POV

I had to get out of there. I couldn't let Paige see me break down. I needed to be strong for her. If I had stood there for one more minute, I would have busted out crying just like them. I made my way over to the vending machine, tears finally spilling out. A familiar lump formed in my throat. That always happened to me when I cried. Sometimes it got so bad I couldn't breathe. I mindlessly put in some money and got some snacks. I shoved them into my jacket pocket and then bought some coffee. I sniffed, wiping my eyes. I picked up the coffees and headed back into the hospital room. Paige was sitting there at Marco's bedside, and he was sobbing uncontrollably. I couldn't look at him or I'd start crying again. I took a seat closer to the door, and offered Paige something to drink and eat.

She gazed at Marco, gently letting go of his hand and coming towards me. She took a seat on my lap, grabbing the coffee from my hands and drinking it quickly. I drank the other cup, wincing as the hot liquid made its' way down my throat. The coffee here was terrible. The pot had probably been sitting there for hours, not to mention it was scalding hot. After drinking it all, I took out the vending machine treasures, laying them on the table. There were some cheese crackers, probably stale, some M&Ms, oreos, and pretzels. I chose the pretzels, and Paige picked the oreos, devouring them quietly.

"Oooh, I see you've went and got the sweets." The nurse came in, looking at Paige and I. She had a funny accent, and if I'd been in better shape, I would have laughed at her. She looked down, taking note of the M&Ms. Her eyes widened. I held out the M&Ms wordlessly. She could have them, I didn't care. The nurse grinned, taking them from my hand and shoving them into her front pocket. She went over to Marco, and did some of the necessary medical things before she spoke again.

"Looks like your friend is gonna be just fine!" She exclaimed, closing the door and taking the M&Ms back out. She ripped them open and poured them into her mouth. It made me sick to watch her. I instead shifted my attention to Paige, still sitting on my lap. I put my hand on her back, rubbing it, hoping it would comfort her. She grabbed my hands, pulling my arms around her. I held her tightly, letting my head rest on the nape of her neck. The nurse vacated the room, and it became silent again.

"That coffee was terrible." Paige finally spoke, leaning backwards into my body. I nodded, giving her a swift kiss on the cheek. Everything felt so foreign. I'd always hated hospitals. I couldn't count the amount of times I'd been in one. They smelled funny and they were too bright. Everyone was happier than they should have been, working with sick people all day. I couldn't see how they standed it.

Paige's phone rang and she held it up, staring at it. She wasn't in the best kind of shape to talk to anyone right now. I scooped the phone out of her hands, answering it. It was Justin.  
"What the hell's going on? Paige is supposed to be on set right now." I pushed Paige off of me and took the phone call out in the hallway. I didn't want Paige to have to hear any of this.

"Justin," I hissed, angry he called. He didn't know what happened, but still, I was mad. "We're in the hospital right now. Our best friends were in a car crash. One of them is her brother, and he's in a coma right now. He may not make it. Just...have them call in a replacement for awhile. They do that all the time. Just don't call again, okay?"  
"I am so sorry. I'll let the producers know. Good luck with everything. Call me when you know something. I'll let you go right now, but thanks for telling me." He hung up, and I listened to the dial tone for a minute. I then hung up the phone, going back into the hospital room.

"That was Justin. I got things worked out at All My Children, and you don't have to come back until everything's settled." I explained, gazing at Paige as I did so. She nodded, chewing her lip thoughtfully.  
"You're on All My Children?" The funny nurse was back. She popped her head in, staring at Paige. A look of recognition came across her face and she came back into the room. I couldn't help thinking she was the most unprofessional medical personell I had ever met.

"Right, right. You play Tiffany. Oh my god, I saw you on Soap Talk. You're a lesbian, right? Wait a minute, so this must be your girlfriend." Her face lit up as she dug around for a pen. She thrust a napkin and the pen towards Paige, who stared at her in disbelief. "Just sign this. Please."

Paige signed it, and I couldn't believe she did. It was incredibly rude of the nurse to do that. Maybe Paige was famous or whatever, but she had no right to do that in a time like this. The nurse turned towards me, shoving the napkin in my hands.  
"I'm not signing anything. Either do your job or get the fuck out of here. We gave you some fucking M&Ms, what else do you want!" I screamed in her face. She scurried away. A smile smile found it's way onto Paige's face.

"Thank you." She said quietly, gazing at me lovingly.

"Right her girlfriend is a total bitch!" I heard a voice say outside the room. I knew it was that weird nurse, gossiping about us. The least she could do was talk about us a little further away, so we wouldn't hear her.

"You know, this car accident probably happened for a reason. I mean, they're gay and their friends probably are too. This is an act of god if I ever saw one." Another voice said. I clenched my jaw, going out into the hallway. I saw the woman who said that, and without thinking, I jumped on top of her. I started punching her, and I got a few good hits in until someone pulled me off, yelling at me.

"What were you thinking! This is a hospital not some third street tavern!" A man dressed in a security outfit screamed, attempting to cart me out the door.

"Wait! She's with me!" Paige shouted, coming towards the man, looking hysterical.

"I suggest you two go outside and get some fresh air. We have your cell number. We'll call you if anything changes." The crazy nurse said, finally getting some bravery back.

"Fine." I snarled, as Paige dragged me outside. As soon as we were outside, she gave me a kiss. I knew she was proud of me for doing something about what they said. She was sick and tired of people. I knew that her coming out had been a big step, and she didn't want people talking about her that way.

I hoped things would work out for the best. This was just all too much to deal with. I wasn't sure how much longer I could hold on and be the rock. I was breaking down, and I could feel it. I had to be strong. For Paige. If we were both blubbering idiots, then no one was there to help and make things better. That was my designated job, and that's what I intended to do.

**A/N: This was a hard chapter to write. I'm mad at myself for doing this, but I feel it needed to happen. As I was writing this, I couldn't help but cry. It's a sad situation. So please review, okay?**


	3. Mistakes We Knew We Were Making

**"Hands In The Sky"**

Chapter Three - Mistakes We Knew We Were Making

-We'll get over it,  
Sad, strong, safe, and sober,  
**We'll move forward**,  
And know where we went wrong-

**Paige's POV**

"I'm so scared." I admitted, pulling Alex close to me. She nodded, stroking my hair. I was beyond upset. My brother was lying in a hospital bed and I didn't know if he was going to be okay. I hadn't even called my parents yet! I gazed at Alex, trying so hard not to cry again. "I need to call my parents."

"It's okay. I'll do it." Alex told me, kissing me on the forehead and walking around the building. I wondered what she told them, how she explained everything. When she came back, I asked her.

"It's fine. Don't worry about it. They're on their way." Alex whispered, hugging me tight. I let myself fall into her arms, my stomach twisting into knots. I hated hospitals. I hated not knowing what was going on. I hated all of this. I felt like throwing up, and I wanted to leave. I couldn't leave. At least I was safe there in Alex's arms, where all was right with the world.

When our hug ended, I looked up to see the doctor standing there. I knew what he was going to say. I fell to the ground, collapsing into sobs. I shook uncontrollably, pounding my fists on the sidewalk as hard as I could. Alex walked over to the doctor.  
"The pressure in his brain skyrocketed. There wasn't anything we could do. I'm sorry about your loss." I heard him say. I got up from the ground, making my way towards him.

"Like sorry helps? My PARENTS are on their way. When they get here we have to tell them that their only son is dead. And you're SORRY? Well I'm sorry but I don't fucking care about your stupid explanations. You could have saved him if you weren't all a bunch of idiots. Fucking idiots is all you are! MY BROTHER IS DEAD BECAUSE OF YOU!" I couldn't control anything I was saying. Inside I couldn't believe the words flying out of my mouth, but I couldn't stop any of it. The doctor looked at me, and I knew he felt sorry for me. That made me sick. He walked back inside and I spun around to face Alex.

She was crying now, heavily crying. I had never seen Alex cry like that, and I was surprised. I wiped my own eyes and stepped towards her, rubbing her back. She sniffed, tears pouring out of her dark eyes. She grabbed my hand in hers, squeezing it.

"I'm sorry. I can't stay strong. It's just..." I could barely understand what she was saying. "There are so many people who love him. And now he's gone and. Marco's in there...what are we going to tell him?" Alex's voice broke and I didn't know what to say. I kept her hand in mine and led her inside. Numbly I walked into Marco's hospital room, feeling sicker by the minute. When he looked at Alex, he knew. He got up out of the bed, ripping the wires from his body. He came towards me.

"No. This can't be what I think it is. Tell me I'm wrong." He said hysterically, gazing at me with tears in his eyes. When I didn't respond, he cursed loudly. "Why? Why did this happen?"

"I don't know." I admitted, making him sit back down on the bed. Alex stood there in the corner, not speaking. Her mascara was running down her face, but I didn't think she cared. A few minutes later my parents walked into Marco's room, confused.

"Where's Dylan?" My mom asked.  
"He's gone." I answered, not able to say it in any other way.

"What? My little boy..." She threw her arms around my father, who bowed his head in sadness. He bit his lip and I felt myself crying all over again. Crying for their loss, crying for mine, for Marco's. We all lost him in a different way. My parents lost a child. I lost a brother. And Marco lost a lover. We all loved him more than anything, and he was ripped from us. I couldn't understand why. I wanted more than anything for him to walk through that door, but I knew he wasn't going to. That beyond anything made me heart break.

No more family Christmases. No more anything that made sense. I wouldn't ever see his smile again. I wouldn't ever get to hug him again. It was too much to bear. All of us must have been an interesting sight, there in Marco's room, all of us grieving in our own seperate ways. I was almost too numb now to feel my own pain. I was crying for them now, for the pain they were feeling. Then my mom who couldn't even believe this was happening to her little boy. My dad was silent and he didn't cry, but I could feel his pain washing over me. Marco wasn't holding back. He was lost in grief, and I couldn't imagine what it was like knowing his boyfriend was gone. I didn't know what I would do if I lost Alex. I looked at Alex. She'd been wonderful through all of this. I admired her greatly. I put my arm around her waist, letting my head rest on her shoulder.

It all happened so fast. We had to go to the funeral home. My mom said she couldn't go, so it was up to my dad and I. I asked Alex to go with me, and she said she would. I was grateful for that.

**Alex's POV**

It was surreal. He was here one minute, gone the next. It reminded me of how I lost my mother, and I went through all of that again. When I was crying for him I was crying for her. I was crying for anyone who had ever died. I was crying for nothing. I was crying for everything. And then I wasn't. I finally cried myself out.

I went with Paige to the funeral home, even though I didn't want to. It was all too familiar. When I went there, I couldn't even afford to get my mom a nice coffin and bury her in the dirt. I had to have her cremeated and even that cost loads of money. It was the most terrible thing I had ever experienced. Now here I was again, sitting in that dreaded seat next to my girlfriend and her father.

They picked out a coffin and I sat there, holding Paige's hand the entire time. It took everything in me not to walk out of there. I hated the feeling this place gave me. I knew that Dylan's funeral would be in a few days, and I wasn't looking forward to it at all. The press would come, there was no doubt about it. There would be a huge deal, and I didn't want Paige to have to go through that. That was the price of being famous I guess, but Paige didn't deserve that. No one did. Being famous is no different than anything else, they're still human. They still have feelings. I wished the press would realize that. They were a bunch of rats out to get whatever they could, and it was disgusting. I couldn't understand how they got their paychecks from other people's pain. The tabloids...ugh.

"Thank you for all of this." Paige said, getting into bed. I looked at her. She was so beautiful. I could feel myself falling for her all over again. I took a seat on the bed.  
"You know I'd do anything for you." I answered sincerely, brushing a piece of hair out of her eye. She smiled sadly, climbing over me and getting onto the floor. She had something clutched in her hand and I wondered what she was doing. Sitting on one knee she gazed up at me.

"Will you marry me?" I practically fell off the bed. She was asking me to marry her? Not only was it totally weird timing but it was so unbelievable. What was she thinking? What was I thinking not saying anything? Of course I wanted to marry her. I loved her more than I had ever loved anyone in my life.

"Of course I will." I pulled her up, giving her a kiss. I felt the sadness in her kiss, and I caressed her cheek, telling her it would all be okay.

"Why now?" I questioned her later, turning off the lights.  
"I was going to earlier, but then all this stuff happened. And just now felt like the right moment. Have to add some good to the bad. We don't have to get married right now, or even all that soon, I just want the guarantee that it's going to happen eventually." She explained, cuddling close to me.

"Goodnight, fiance." I said, with a small smile. It sounded nice.

**Author's Note: Yeah I know it took forever, I'm sorry. This is such a hard fic for me to write. This chapter is terrible in my opinion, but whatever. I completely changed where I was going with the story, because I think I might have lost my outline. Anyway, I guess they're engaged? Add a little YAY to your sadness? Please review...thanks.**


	4. Now It's Done

**"Hands In The Sky"**

Chapter Four - Now It's Done

- Holding onto the phone,  
Holding onto this glass,  
_Holding onto the memory of what didn't last,_  
Waiting for better words,  
They'll never come,  
So dry your eyes,  
It's better -

**Paige's POV**

"Oh my god," The clock read 4:30 as I awoke suddenly in the middle of the night, drenched with sweat. I had yet another dream about the accident, and it felt like I had actually saw it happen, like I was there. I shuddered, my teeth chattering loudly as Alex pulled me into a hug. She gave me a reassuring kiss on the forehead, gazing at me with worry evident in her eyes. I frowned. "I'm sorry. I had the nightmare again." I explained, rolling back over and closing my eyes. I felt Alex throw her arm over my side protectively, and I smiled a little. Alex and I were going to get married soon. It was amazing to know that something so happy was going to happen, amongst all of the bad things that were going on at the moment. I thought that maybe the good news was the only reason I was even getting through this.

"Alex?" I woke her up a second time, but she didn't look annoyed at all. I informed her that we needed to go back to our old town tomorrow to let everyone know what happened. Alex nodded slowly, and I could tell she wasn't looking forward to returning with such terrible news. I wasn't looking forward to it either, but our old high school friends needed to find out somehow, so that they could at least attend the funeral. The funeral - the words sunk into my stomach unwillingly. I didn't want to think about how, in a few days, I'd be seeing my brother in a casket and burying him in a hole in the ground. It wasn't right, and it definitely wasn't his time. Dylan was too young, too beautiful. He had his whole life ahead of him and he just left Marco like this. He didn't just leave Marco, he left all of us. Deep down I knew it's wasn't his fault, and still I couldn't help but feel angry with him. It was like he hadn't tried hard enough to stay alive.

The next time I woke, the bed was empty. A soft afternoon breeze came through the open window, curtains blowing delicately. The blanket wrapped around my otherwise naked body, I made my way into the kitchen. The scent of food was in the air, and my stomach was growling hungrily. A grin settled onto my face when I saw Alex standing over the stove. She was making breakfast! She turned around, big brown eyes fixated on me.  
"Good morning," She bit her lip intently before continuing. "You're naked under there, aren't you?" She questioned, raising an eyebrow in amusement. I stepped towards her with a smile, reaching out my hand.

"Come find out." I broke through her thoughts with a reply. Alex took my hand and came to me, her gaze apparent as I dropped the blanket onto the floor. She licked her lips, stepping towards me and swiftly putting her arm around my waist. I shivered unwillingly as she kissed my neck, my most vulnerable spot.  
"Mmm. You are. You should be naked all the time. In fact, it's a new rule in this house." I rolled my eyes, picking up the blanket and wrapping it around myself a second time.

"I didn't know you could cook." I told her, changing the subject. Alex hadn't ever seemed like the type to stay at home and cook meals. But here she was, doing that for me.  
"Don't get used to it." Alex answered, giving me a kiss on the cheek. She waved me out of the kitchen and into the living room, where I collapsed on the couch and turned on some meaningless daytime television. Minutes later she approached, plate in hand. I grabbed it and immediately started eating; the eggs looked so good. After my delicious meal, I took a shower and got dressed.

--

"You know, planes still freak me out." Alex admitted, gripping my hand tightly.  
"I couldn't tell by the way you're squeezing the life out of my hand." I answered sarcastically. She laughed, loosening her grip. I could still see the terror in her eyes. Sure, planes were a little scary, but I'd pretty much gotten over that from flying so often. Alex was acting like she'd seen one too many Final Destination movies, and I had to admit that it was cute. As the plane took off, Alex's grip tightened again and I gazed at her in amusement. Her eyes were closed now, a look of intense concentration on her face.

"What are you doing?" I asked, unable to figure out for myself.  
"Hoping for the best." She replied quickly. I let go of her hand and turned towards her, brushing a strand of dark hair out of her face. Alex smiled, pulling me into a kiss. "I feel much better now." She said after our kiss, sounding relaxed. I leaned back into my seat, tracing the lines along Alex's soft palm as we flew through the air. I must have fallen asleep because the next thing I knew, we had arrived at our destination.

Alex and I stepped out into the airport, anxiously searching for our baggage. I was relieved when we found our suitcases, because I had lost quite a few of my prized posessions because of flights I took. Baggage in hand, we got into the rental car, driving to Marco's old house at a steady speed. We were going to stay with Marco's parents for the next few days before heading back to LA. The drive was short, and before I knew it, we were sitting in front of the familiar house. Alex sighed, and I could tell she didn't want to go inside. Marco's father had been trying to set me up with his son for as long as I could remember. He'd never accepted his son's homosexuality, and was clueless about mine. I knew staying there would mean that Alex and I had to act like we were just friends, and that was difficult for me to imagine. I got out of the car, going up to the front door and knocking on it twice for good measure. Alex stood beside me as the front door opened, Marco's father standing there looking positively jolly.

"Paige! So nice to see you." He hugged me and over my shoulder, I saw Alex laughing at me. Even I couldn't doubt the hilarity of a large latino man embracing a young blonde girl. When the hug ended, I was glad. The three of us made our way into the house, and I couldn't help but smile as I saw various pictures of Marco hanging on the wall. They dated all the way back to baby Marco, and all of the pictures were so adorable. The funny thing was, that even now, he looked almost exactly the same as he did when he was younger.

**Alex's POV**

I wasn't thrilled to be staying at the Del Rossi household, that much was certain. I knew I would be spending three days pretending Paige and I weren't together. It was going to be absolute torture.

"You must be Alex." Marco's mother said with a knowing smile. She knew that Paige and I were a couple, and she didn't mind at all. She had accepted Marco after he came out, and it had brought them so much closer. I wished that I would have came out to my mother before she died. Not doing that made me feel like some sort of liar, and I felt guilty that she never got to know, even though I knew she never would have accepted it. "You make a handsome couple." The woman's voice dropped below a whisper, careful her husband didn't hear. I relaxed into a smile.  
"Thank you." I answered, blush rising to my face.

After standing there silently for a moment, Marco's mother suggested we sit down for lunch. Gladly I took a seat, exhaustion finally settling in. I wasn't able to sleep at all when I was on the plane, and had gotten up early the same morning in anticipation. Paige had woken me up a few times, and I was terrified to fly. But I had done it, and I survived. I was proud of myself for facing my fear, but that didn't make me any less afraid to do it again. Just because the plane hadn't crashed this time didn't mean it couldn't on our flight back home. I tried to keep that out of my head as I ate the sandwiches on my plate.

"Well, I hate to go but I need to return to work. Have a nice day, girls." I couldn't believe how cheerful he sounded while his son was sitting in the hospital. Of course he had no idea the pain that Marco was going through, losing his closest friend and boyfriend in a tragic accident.

Now that he was gone, I noticed everyone relax a little. Paige's hand settled onto my leg, and at her touch, I felt that familiar tingling in my body. She still managed to give me butterflies whenever I was around her. Marco's mother completely switched moods as soon as her husband left. She sat there, staring forward and not saying a word. Finally, after about five minutes of complete silence, she spoke.

"How is he?" She questioned hopefully, clasping her hands together.

"Physically, he's recooperating. He has a few broken ribs, but he's going to be fine. Emotionally, though, he's not doing so well. Dylan dying isn't an easy thing for any of us, but Marco is taking it the hardest. I'm sure that in time, he'll be okay." Paige explained, biting her lip to keep from crying. It was difficult for her to even speak Dylan's name without collapsing into sobs, and that pain was evident on her face.  
"He's a strong boy." His mother replied, trying not to get choked up.

"Yes, he is." I said quietly. He was the strongest person I knew, because if I lost Paige the way he lost Dylan, I wouldn't be able to survive. Paige was my other half and without her, I wouldn't be able to function in the world. Marco had lost everything he held dear, and still didn't give up. I admired him for his courage, and wished I had the same strength as he.

Paige stood suddenly, pushing in her chair. "We need to get to business." She told the woman sitting in front of her. "I'm not sure what time we'll be back. You don't have to wait up for us." My girlfriend -- scratch that, fiance -- made her way out the door and I followed, though not excited for what was to come.  
"Thanks for the sandwiches." My words seemed to hang stupidly in the air as Paige grabbed my hand, pulling me out the door. We got into the car and drove to the Dot, knowing it was a good place to start. Paige figured that since it was the local hang out, someone who knew Marco had to be there. She was right.

"You're still working here?" I asked in disbelief when I saw Spinner. He looked the same for the most part, but had dyed his hair a jet black, and had a lip piercing. Spinner, pardon the pun, spun around to gaze at me. He looked surprised when he saw me, and equally surprised when he noticed Paige beside of me. We took a seat at an empty table, and Spinner came over to us, bewildered.

"Wow. You guys are still together? Who knew you would last this long. What brings you back to Degrassi?" He questioned, genuinely interested. I squeezed Paige's hand, signalling her that she didn't have to say a word. I didn't want her to break down in public. It was the last thing any of us needed.

"Well, not anything positive, I'm afraid. There was an accident a couple days ago, involving Marco and Dylan." I began, trying to steady my free hand as I took a drink of the glass of water in front of me. I was shaking like a leaf, and I couldn't explain why. Spinner stared at me, willing me to continue. "Marco broke a few ribs. He's going to be fine. Dylan on the other hand," I couldn't bring myself to finish the sentence. "The funeral is in a few days." I said quietly, not meeting Spinner's gaze. I didn't want to see the look on his face.

"Oh." He replied sadly, crossing his arms as he cleared his throat. Dylan and he had gotten closer in the later years of high school. He also probably realized what Marco was going through as well. I knew that was a big part of the pain that I felt. Marco had to live the rest of his life knowing that he was in the very same accident, yet for some reason his boyfriend died instead of him. It wasn't fair for him to have to deal with something like this. Marco was normally a happy person, but this was dragging him down. I wasn't sure what kind of effect it was going to have in the long run, but hoped to a god I didn't believe in that he wouldn't do anything stupid.

- Keep a tight grip like a child holding onto a swing set,  
Waiting and hoping to find what I can't figure out yet,  
Please don't unless this is something to me,  
_Another nightmare instead of a dream,_  
Better left alone -

**Author's Note: I thought focusing on Paige and Alex's relationship was a huge priority right now, because it's the only thing keeping them (and everyone else!) from going off the deep end. It's the anchor for the story, and therefore, very important. My updates have really been slacking lately, especially on this story. There is a reason - it's been so difficult to write. I love Dylan immensely, as well as all of the characters going through this, and I want to do it right. I still don't feel like any of this is doing them justice...I did in fact lose my outline, but I have a pretty good idea of where this story is going. The other chapters are going to be easier to write now that I know what's going on, but the funeral is by far going to be the hardest thing in this story to do. Oh and please review if you could, thank you.**


	5. It Never Gets Easier

**"Hands In The Sky"**

Chapter Five - It Never Gets Easier

- So I'll keep it simple for obvious reasons,  
And I'll say what I should  
And just hope you believe me,  
But it _never_ gets easier -

**Paige's POV**

I woke up gasping for air. I'd had a nightmare that I was drowning, and just as I was about to die, Alex shook me awake. I stared into her deep brown eyes, clutching her close to me and breathing heavily. She kissed me on the cheek, her forehead wrinkling up in worry.  
"Another nightmare?" She asked gently, cupping my face in her hands.  
"Yeah. I could have swore I was really drowning." I said, feeling disturbed. It had been so real, I felt like I had been on the brink of death. If Alex hadn't woken me up, I truly thought I might have died there in that horrible ocean.

"Well you're okay now." I looked around the room for a moment before I remembered where we were. We were at Marco's house, visiting Degrassi to tell everyone the bad news about what had happened to Dylan. It was weird being in Marco's room now. The walls were bare and empty, most of the furniture gone. The only remnants of Marco's long stay was this bed, the bed on which we'd had so many pillow fights, and late night talks, and just anything and everything we could find to do together. He was like one of my girlfriends, and now he was dealing with the worst tragedy anyone could ever have to deal with. I was right in that same boat. I missed my brother immensely. I found myself picking up my cell phone and staring at his name, wanting to call him so bad but knowing he wouldn't answer. He was gone. He was really gone. I should have erased his number off my phone but at this point I couldn't bear to do it. I must have gotten lost in my thoughts because the next thing I knew, I was in the kitchen. Alex tapped my hand, gazing at me in that worried way of hers. It seemed the only look in her eyes anymore was concern. Concern for me. I was going crazy and there was nothing she could do about it.

"Who else do we need to talk to?" I practically scared myself when I spoke, and Alex jumped a bit at my voice. She ate a spoonful of cereal before answering me.  
"I'm not sure who's still here...but I think we need to tell Ellie as soon as possible. There's still Ashley, Craig, Jimmy, Manny I guess, Emma, there's a lot of people that didn't really know him that well. But I know they'd want to go to the...you know...to support Marco." Alex answered slowly. I nodded. She was right. I watched as she pulled something out of her pocket. "This, um, reunion thing is tomorrow."  
"Reunion?" I blinked a few times, confused as to what she was talking about.  
"School reunion. 5 year reunion?" Alex replied. Oh, that. I hadn't realized it was tomorrow. I couldn't believe it had been five years since graduation. It seemed...like just yesterday.

"Right. I guess we could go." I offered, taking a bite of her cereal. I didn't really want to have to go back there, knowing the only reason was to let everyone know of my brother's death. It wasn't a comforting thought. I hadn't even brought anything nice to wear. I figured I'd be around town but nowhere important. If we were going to the reunion that meant we had to look nice. That meant we had to go shopping. In the past I would have been happy about this...but even shopping couldn't lift my spirits anymore.

"We don't have anything to wear do we?" Alex took the words right out of my mouth.  
"No. I guess we have to go shopping...I brought a lot of cash with me plus my debit card. We'll be fine if we need to get dresses and whatnot." Alex frowned as I spoke, knowing my heart wasn't in this. She got up from her chair, standing behind me and wrapping her arms around me. She kissed my cheek and I closed my eyes, imagining things were back to they way they used to be.

"Honey, we need to get cleaned up." Alex told me, whispering in my ear.

"Alright. Let's do it then." I followed Alex upstairs and into the bathroom. I locked the door as I took two fresh towels out of the bathroom closet and put them onto the counter. Alex and I looked at each other for a moment, neither of us speaking. Slowly, both of us undressed. We climbed into the shower together, and I sighed as the hot water hit my body. It felt nice. Alex's lips found mine and I pushed her up against the wall of the shower, kissing her forcefully. She kissed me back, and it was only us there, nothing else. For a moment I felt okay again, but when the kiss ended, I was alone. Alex was shampooing her hair and I followed suit, just wanting to get clean and get out of there. I rinsed my hair and soaped up my body, rinsing off and stepping out of the shower. I wrapped the towel around my waist as Alex turned off the water, getting out of the shower as well. I looked at her, a smile forming on my lips. She was so beautiful. Her body was perfect. She deserved someone who wasn't too preoccupied with the death of their brother to be with her. I wasn't good for her. She deserved better. As soon as these thoughts entered my mind I dismissed them, unlocking the door and stepping out into the hallway.

"Hello, Paige!" I spun around, practically dying when I saw Marco's father standing there. He was getting ready to walk down the stairs and get in his car so he could go to work. A second later Alex emerged from the bathroom, and Marco's father's face pinkened as he hurried down the steps.  
"Um." I frowned, my face burning. This wasn't how I wanted him to find out. Who knows what he was thinking right then. Alex put her hand on my shoulder, and I shrugged it away.

"What's wrong?" She asked.  
"I'm not sure we should get married. I mean, when you proposed it was a great idea. But now...you don't want to marry me. I'm messed up right now." I muttered, going into Marco's room and drying off completely. Quickly I got dressed as she followed me, looking upset and confused.  
"Who are you to tell me what I want to do, Paige?" When I didn't answer, she grabbed me by the arm and urged me. "Paige."  
"What?" I asked, practically yelling in her face.

"I've wanted to marry you since that night at the premiere. It's not going to change, no matter what happens. I want us to be together. Is this just me you're worried about, or is it something deeper? Do you still want to marry me? Because if you don't, you don't have to. We can wait." Alex was getting tears in her eyes, and so was I. I wrapped my arms around her, hugging her tightly.  
"No," I began to cry. "I want to marry you. I do. I love you more than anything in this world. You're the only thing that makes sense to me. You're there for me, no matter what and I love you so much for that. You're my best friend and you're beautiful, and you're just so goddamned perfect."  
"I'm not perfect."  
"Perfect, for me." I insisted. I kissed her, and I could taste her tears. The tears kept falling and I kept kissing her, desperately wanting to kiss them away.  
"I love you." She told me, her breathing heavy.  
"I love _you._" I repeated, smiling as she got dressed. We were going to get married. We were going to be together. When we went to that reunion, everyone was going to be surprised. We outlasted all of them, and that was something for us to be proud of. Alex was my life...I was so thankful to have her there for me like this.

"Want to go to the mall now?" Alex finally spoke a few minutes later. I nodded, grabbing my purse and heading out the door. We got into the car, and drove to the mall. We shopped around a few stores before we found our dresses. Alex chose a nice halter top dress, a deep red that looked really great on her. I picked a light blue dress, because I knew it would bring out my eyes. After buying the dresses and some shoes to go with them, we got back into the car. I pulled out my cell phone and called Ellie.

"Ellie? It's Paige." I told her as soon as I called.  
"Hi, Paige." She didn't sound enthused, at all.  
"I wanted to tell you that Marco and Dylan--" Before I could finish the sentence, Ellie cut me off.  
"I know." Ellie sounded tearful. So she already knew. "Marco called me. I am so, so sorry Paige. This must be horrible for you to go through right now."  
"Yeah."  
"When's the funeral?" She asked me carefully.  
"The day after tomorrow. 7AM." I answered, clutching the phone close to my ear.  
"Okay. You going to the reunion?"  
"Actually, Alex and I are. We're staying at Marco's house right now and tomorrow we're going to the reunion together. Figured it would be a nice way to let some of the other people know about what happened." I explained, leaning back into the driver's seat.

"Good idea. I'll be there too...listen, I have to go. But I guess I'll see you tomorrow." Ellie hung up before I could say goodbye, and the phone was ringing as soon as I got off.

"Hello?"  
"Paige Michalchuk?" An unfamiliar male voice came on the other side of the phone.  
"Yes." I said carefully, wondering who this mystery caller was.  
"It's Dave Miles. I was your brother's hockey coach." He introduced. Right, I remembered him.  
"Oh."  
"I heard about what happened. Listen, the team's holding a memorial party-type thing for Dylan tonight at eight. I thought I would invite you. It's at the rink if you want to come."  
"I think I might. Thank you. The funeral's the day after tomorrow at 7AM if you want to come. It's in LA though, I know it's a huge inconvenience, but it's easier for us that way. All of my family moved there, and a lot of my family members are already buried there and everything..." I rambled on, blinking a few times to keep the tears away. I was thinking about Dylan being buried in the ground. I didn't want to think about the worms crawling through him...ugh. It was a disgusting thought. I pushed it away, concentrating on what Dave was saying.  
"Yeah, yeah. Sure, I'll come. I'll see you tonight, maybe? Thanks for letting me know. You take care, Miss Michalchuk."

When I hung up the phone, Alex looked at me, a bit concerned.  
"We're going to this party tonight I guess. It's a memorial for Dylan. It's at eight..." I sighed deeply, and she took my hand, kissing it.  
"Alright, sweetie. Let's get home, it's about time for dinner." Alex suggested, buckling her seatbelt.  
"What time is it?" I asked, not bothering to look at my cell.  
"5:50. The Del Rossi's eat at 6." She replied. I rolled my eyes. Duh, I'd eaten dinner at Marco's many many times. Of course they ate at six.  
"I know that."

"Alright."  
"I'm afraid to face Marco's dad after what happened this morning." I admitted, starting the car and beginning the drive. I really didn't want to have to sit at a table with him for an hour and make small talk while I knew he was thinking about what he'd witnessed. Our little shower together. I shuddered at the thought.  
"He won't mention it, you know that, right?" Alex answered, trying to reassure me. She knew Marco's dad well enough to know he was embarrassed about this kind of thing. He never wanted to talk about Marco being gay. It was just how it was and if anyone brought it up, he decided not to speak.  
"I know, but he knows. It's going to feel really uncomfortable now." I complained, stopping at the stoplight. A few minutes later we were there again, and as soon as I walked into the kitchen I noticed Marco's dad sitting there. He gazed at me for a moment and then looked away, not saying anything.

"So what's for dinner?" Alex questioned, taking a seat.

"Oh, I made steak and potatoes." Marco's mother said, sounding excited as she portioned out the meals, handing us our plates. I sat down at the table, eagerly eating the food in front of me. I was starved, and this looked delicious. As soon as I took a bite, I realized I was right. This was the best steak I'd ever eaten. I smiled at Marco's mother, telling her how great the meal was and eating it quickly, taking a drink of milk and hurrying into the living room. Alex was still eating and she stayed at the table. I watched her out of the corner of my eye, talking to Mr. Del Rossi about various things. They were in a thorough discussion about sports. Marco's mother sat down a beer in front of her husband, and Alex asked her if she could have some. Mrs. Del Rossi looked surprised, but Alex was old enough, and she agreed. I pulled my knees to my chest, pretending to watch the television but keeping my eyes on Alex. She never drank beer. She didn't even like sports. Was this her attempt at bonding with Marco's father, because if it was, she was doing a good job. About a half hour later I got off the couch, walking back into the kitchen.

"Alex?" She looked up from her mug.  
"Yes?"  
"The memorial thing is in about 20 minutes. Do you wanna go, or not? You don't have to." I offered, shoving my hands into my pockets. She stood, pushing in her chair.  
"Yeah I wanna go. See you, Mr. Del Rossi." Alex smiled at him, walking out the door.

"Goodnight, Alex!" He called after her, sounding rather pleasant.

"Well, he sure came around." I commented once we were on our way. Alex smirked, turning on the radio. She shrugged her shoulders.  
"What can I say. I'm charming." Alex batted her eyelashes at me, and I laughed.

"Yeah. You are." It took about ten minutes for me to get to the rink, and I made sure to get my jacket from the trunk before heading inside. Alex and I went into the rink, surprised at the amount of people sitting on the bleachers. I took a seat beside one of Dylan's former teammates that I recognized as Josh, and said hello to him. He smiled at me for a moment and I was jerked to attention when I noticed the coach standing in front of the bleachers, getting ready to speak. I began to get tense, knowing whatever he was about to say was bound to make me cry.

Alex looked at me, gripping my hand as the coach began to speak. His voice was passionate, and every one of the people sitting in the bleachers were listening to him.

"Dylan was a real team player. He always listened to everything I told him, and he led the team with a true spirit. He welcomed everyone into his life with open arms, and he was one of the most accepting individuals I've ever met. Though he was not always understood, Dylan was always respected, and highly regarded by every teammate. His courage is truly inspiring. I think that the next game on Friday...I think we need to win it. Win it for Dylan, for people like Dylan, for his family, his friends, for you. For all of us. We're gonna go out there and kick some major ass. Because if Dylan was on our team, that's what we would be doing. And he is on our team. He will never be forgotten. We will become the best damn team there has ever been, and we will do it all with his help. What do you say?"

I was crying, and I couldn't stop. It was just so beautiful, and so true. Dylan had been an inspiration to everyone he'd ever met. He would live on. I knew he would. That just made me feel a little better about him being gone...because in reality, he wasn't gone. We would always remember him and respect him for the wonderful individual that he was.

- Sing it to myself again  
I can't hear a word you said  
The syllables, the sounds just aren't sentences and  
All I really want to do  
Is tear straight into you  
Explode, unload a hail of insults until you finally get it  
_I'm sick to death_ -

**Author's Note: Yeah, it's about time I updated. Two more chapters until this one is over. Please review, I'd really appreciate it. Thanks to all who have read.**


	6. A Slow Descent

**"Hands In The Sky"**

Chapter Six - A Slow Descent

- I'm tired  
Cynical and broken, but wiser  
Heavy with a sense of resentment  
but I used to be so much different  
I used to have so much faith  
when I started -

**Alex's POV**

"Baby, hurry up." I urged her, sitting on the end of the bed and impatiently tapping my foot as she got ready. Paige looked beautiful. Her hair was curled around her shoulders, and the color of her dress was perfect. She was putting on some earrings and reapplying her lipstick, and then she'd be done. I had been ready over 20 minutes ago, getting into my own dress and actually putting on some makeup, though minimal.  
"Okay, okay. I'm ready." Paige announced, grabbing her purse and hurrying down the stairs. I followed her as best I can, not used to wearing three inch heels. The drive to the reunion seemed to take forever, probably because I was so excited.

Once we pulled into the parking lot, I didn't waste any time. I stepped out of the car, standing in front of Degrassi Community School in awe. It looked exactly the same. It might have had a fresh coat of paint, but nothing else had changed. Feeling nostalgic I grabbed Paige's hand, carefully making my way up the stairs and trying not to trip on the way. As soon as I got inside, I saw a familiar face. Standing there with a huge grin on his face was Jay, my wonderful ex boyfriend. I sighed, walking up to him and plastering a smile onto my face.

"Lexi, it's been years." He hugged me and I didn't resist, but out of the corner of my eye I saw Paige's not so pleasant reaction. I pulled away from him, taking Paige's hand in mine again. It took him a moment to notice that Paige was there as well, and he managed to look surprised. "Wow, you're still with the Princess. Nah, I'm just kidding. What have you two been doing with your lives?"

"I'm an actress." Paige said suddenly, smiling broadly. Jay nodded, shoving his hands into the pockets of his tuxedo. It was weird to see him so dressed up. The only time I'd seen him like this was at my mother's funeral. He didn't look much different than then.  
"I've been working with Paige. I'm kind of her assistant, I guess." I answered, kissing Paige's cheek. "Best job in the world. I get to see her all the time."

"Well, that's good I guess," Jay shrugged. "I've been around. I'm kind of a motivational speaker actually. That's not my main job, I mean, I work in this office but I do that too."  
"Wow. I never would have pictured that." Paige exclaimed, stunned. I was equally amazed, trying to imagine Jay giving a speech to a large group of high school students. I wondered what he would talk about. He would probably discuss his old...habits and how he got over them, maybe. If he was over them. I gazed at him, thinking.

"Yeah. I kinda cleaned up a bit. Oh the reunion's in the gym, so we better get in there." Jay told us, leading us into the gym packed with people. Some I didn't recognize, and several people waved at me as I made my way over to an empty table. Paige took a seat beside of me and Jay hesitantly took a seat nearby, still wanting to talk to us. "So what's new?" He asked, his eyes sparkling.

"Um, we're actually here on some less happy business." I said softly, not wanting Paige to hear me. "There was an accident and Dylan didn't quite make it...we were coming here to invite everyone to the funeral tomorrow." Jay's face twisted into a frown, and he nodded.

"Oh. I'm sorry. I'd go but I don't quite think I'd be welcome there. I didn't treat the guy very nicely in high school." He mumbled, running a hand through his hair. I could tell he was ashamed at how he had acted then, and that made me feel good. It was so weird to see him like this, a changed man.

When I turned my head to look at Paige I noticed someone sitting beside of her. It was Hazel. I knew that Paige and Hazel hadn't spoken all that often after graduation, and they were probably catching up. I listened in, catching the tail-end of what Hazel was saying.  
"So when I'm not taking care of the boys I'm working at the beauty salon I opened." I smirked, unsurprised that she owned a beauty salon. She had kids though, that was interesting. "You'll get to meet my husband Preston in a minute. He went to the bathroom." Hazel looked at me after she said this, smiling. "Wow, Alex! I didn't know you two were still..."

"Yep. We're engaged." I divulged, putting my arm around Paige's shoulders. Paige let her head fall to my shoulder, quickly kissing me on the cheek. I surpressed a laugh when I saw Hazel's husband walk up to the table, taken aback by Paige and I's display of affection. The husband, Preston, sat across from Hazel, looking very proper in his suit. I glanced at Jay, who rolled his eyes, pointing at the couple.  
"Preston's a doctor," Hazel boasted, and at that moment I noticed her giant belly. She was pregnant. With her THIRD child. I blinked, trying to imagine what her children possibly looked like. "You looking at my stomach? Yeah, I'm pregnant again. I'm hoping this one's a girl." She smiled, putting her hand on top of Preston's. "Well, I think I'm gonna make the rounds. I'll see you later, Paige."  
As she began to walk away, Paige grabbed her arm. "I needed to tell you something, Hazel." She urged, face serious. Hazel stopped, gazing at her thoughtfully. "Preston, baby, I'll be right back." Hazel and Paige hurried away out in the hallway, leaving Preston, Jay, and I alone to talk.

"So, how long have you and Hazel been married?" Jay asked conversationally, crossing his arms in front of him. Preston sighed, as if terribly inconvienenced to have to talk to us.  
"A few years." He replied, not really into the conversation.  
"You're a doctor? How's that going for you?" Jay questioned. I began to get really uncomfortable just sitting there, so I got up and began to walk around. After seeing several unfamiliar faces, I came upon two I recognized. With a grin I approached them, happy to have someone else to catch up with. Even though I'd never really talked with either of them that much.

"Alex, hey." Jimmy greeted from his wheelchair, Ashley standing beside of him. Both of them had rings on their fingers, and I realized that they were married.

"Hey. How've you two been?" I asked, remembering the times when Jimmy and I used to play euchre together. I'd always kicked his ass. Even though we played cards together a lot, I still hadn't known him very well. I probably knew him better by association since I was friends with Ellie, who was really good friends with him. I saw Jimmy shrug as Ashley patted him on the shoulder.

"Pretty good I suppose. I'm actually drawing for a comic book these days. It's pretty cool. I'm still coaching for the Degrassi basketball team too, so that takes up some of my time." He grinned, and so did I. It was cool to know he was still doing what he loves.  
"I'm in college." Ashley said, not expanding on the subject.

"So how are the younger kids? Have you talked to them or seen any of them?" I questioned, wondering about the class after us. I hadn't really seen any of them lately, though had heard about Liberty becoming the mayor of Degrassi. She was pretty young still, but I figured if she was anything like she was in high school, she was mature far beyond her years.

"Well, Toby my little brother is in the computer business. He fixes them and everything. JT and Liberty are still together. He's a waiter at some italian restaurant, and I guess he does stand up when he can. We've seen him perform a few times. He's not bad. I'm going to college with Emma. Not sure what she's there for, but I've seen her on campus and everything." Ashley explained.

"Manny was acting for awhile but I guess she ended up having a kid, so she didn't want to continue her career any longer. Oh and here's something funny, speaking of Manny. Peter's directing pornos now. Isn't that hilarious? I guess Manny helped him get his foot into the door." Jimmy joked.

I laughed half-heartedly, remembering the whole Manny incident. Though it was partly her fault, I had felt really bad for what happened to her.  
"That's interesting. Well, have you talked to Marco?" I changed the subject, a lump forming in my throat. I knew that Jimmy wouldn't take the news very well at all. He had been the most accepting at the time of Marco's sexuality, and even Spinner had taken Dylan's death really badly. Who knew what Jimmy would say.

"Not in awhile. Have you?" Jimmy sounded hopeful, and I frowned.

"Um, unfortunately. There was this accident..." I began to explain what had happened to him, and I noticed his facial expression turning sad. He closed his eyes, breathing in deeply and clutching Ashley's hand in his. Ashley looked solemn, standing there as Jimmy struggled not to cry.  
"That's terrible. Dylan was a good guy. And Marco. I bet he's not taking it well, is he? Were they still together?" Jimmy finally spoke when he found his voice, not meeting my gaze.

"No he's not taking it well at all. They were still dating when it happened. Er, the funeral's tomorrow if you'd like to come. Paige and I can get you guys some plane tickets to ride back to LA with us." I wrote down Paige's number on a business card, handing it to Jimmy. "We're leaving at eleven tonight, since the funeral's at 7AM."  
"Okay. We'll definitely go. We just meet you at the airport around 10:30?" Jimmy confirmed, finally looking up at me. I nodded, crossing my arms to my chest.  
"Sure. So, are you two married?"  
"Yeah. We are." Ashley smiled brightly, holding out her hand. I looked at her wedding ring. It was gorgeous. Suddenly I began thinking about Paige's ring. I hadn't even thought of what she'd want in a ring. We were engaged and we hadn't even started planning anything yet! I began to walk away, having the urge to find Paige again. I waved at a few people that waved at me, including Amy, and found Paige as she walked into the gym again. Hazel was at her side, black mascara running down her face. Obviously she had been crying.

"Everyone knows now. We just need to let them know about the plane tickets and it'll all be good." I told Paige slowly, pulling her close to me. She kissed me, wrapping her arms around me and pushing her lips firmly against mine. When the kiss ended, she gazed into my eyes.  
"I'll make the announcement."

**Author's Note: One more chapter after this one, though I feel that this chapter was a little short (and not that great altogether). The next and final chapter will be a lot longer. The third part in this trilogy is going to come a little later, I don't have a set date yet but it's going to be a little while before I start it. I also have an idea for an Alex-centric fic, also Palex of course, using lyrics from Tegan & Sara. Not sure when I'll get that out there but look for it sometime in the future. AND when Degrassi comes back to the-N, I plan on continuing The Ridiculously Stupid & Offensive Degrassi Parody. Don't worry it'll be back and as funny as ever. Please review this story, it has been really hard to write. It's one of the most emotional pieces I've ever attempted..**


	7. Hands In The Sky

**"Hands In The Sky"**

Chapter Seven - Hands In The Sky

- _We want you, have to need you_  
And we'll tell you when they're hungry again  
And we'll tell you when they're hungry again  
It never ends, never ends -

**Paige's POV**

The nighttime flight was terribly unsettling. I felt Alex's head on my shoulder, and I heard all of our old friends clamouring on in the background, but it was like I wasn't really there. I was thinking about what would happen when we got there, back in LA. We'd put Dylan into the ground and go on with our lives. But I couldn't go on with my life and I damn well couldn't forget him. Part of me was just so afraid that everyone else would. I didn't want to bury him. I didn't want to have to truly admit he was gone. I just didn't want to. I couldn't let go of my brother, I refused to. Knowing that everyone else would just go on with their lives after this made me unbelievably angry. I was angry with people I didn't even know, people that didn't know Dylan, people that wouldn't be paying their respects. People that had no idea what this grief felt like. But in my heart I knew he would want me to move on. Dylan would have been happy for me, happy for Alex and I, our engagement. I felt selfish to think of such things as getting married while my brother wasn't here. While he wouldn't be coming to the wedding. I felt like a terrible person to be happy even the slightest during this time. So I decided not to feel anything at all.

Sometime I had drifted off into sleep, because I awoke some time later. We were getting ready to land, the sun not yet in the sky. I yawned, letting my hand slip into Alex's and closing my eyes again as she rubbed her thumb along the back of my hand. She yanked me awake soon after, and we all got off the plane, drowsily filing into the airport. I called my limo driver and had him pick us up, drove by the hospital to get Marco, and we went to my house. The funeral was going to be in a couple of hours.

I settled onto the couch, my head in Alex's lap. She stroked my hair and spoke softly, kissing my forehead. Marco was in the chair beside us. He was completely silent, his arms crossed to his chest and his eyes narrowed. His brown eyes focused onto mine and we just looked at each other for what seemed like forever. I sat up, pointing to an empty spot on the couch. Marco nodded, taking a place beside of me. I put my arm around his shoulder, and I could feel him shuddering as he surrendered into tears. It was almost as if he and I were the only ones there as I was comforting him as he cried. But when the spell finally broke I noticed all of our friends sitting around us, crying as well. I grabbed Marco's hand, squeezing it tightly as I gazed at my crying friends, so thankful they were all here.

Not long after, we drove to the cemetary. I stood there, Marco's hand in my right hand and Alex's in my left, biting my lip as the rain poured down on us. I found it very appropriate that it was raining because it was like the sky's own way of letting out its' tears. I shivered, the rain was ice cold, but that didn't matter. I stood solemnly as my father gave Dylan's eulogy, not bothering to fight back tears. All of us were crying heavily as Dylan was lowered into the ground. I turned around, not able to watch. I knew where he was going. Heaven. But knowing his body would be left here to rot...well that was just too much.

The whole crowd gathered into a circle, joining hands and bringing them upward, towards the sky. I gazed up at the sky and it began to clear up, turning a light blue as the rain stopped. We lowered our hands and let go, the crowd dispersing. A final tear escaped my eyes as I got into the car, silent as we were on our way to the wake. Once there, I went around and thanked everyone for coming.

"Paige," Alex called my name and I turned to face her. She took my hands in her own, not taking her eyes off of me as she spoke. "I love you. I love you more than I ever have right at this moment. You're so fucking strong, I can't believe it. I just wanted you to know...whatever happens, I will always be here. Even if my body's gone I will always be here. I couldn't ever leave without you and I don't ever want to be apart. I love you. I really love you." I jumped into her arms, hugging her tightly and rocking with sobs.

"That means so much to me, Alex. I love you, too." I gazed at the ring on her finger, the one I'd given her not too long ago. I stared at it, running my finger over the diamond and letting myself smile.

"Everyone." I stood in front of the droves of people that had shown up to the wake. The microphone up to my mouth, I allowed myself to smile in front of everyone. "I have an announcement to make. First of all I really wanted to thank you for coming. It means a lot to me that you all care so much about Dylan. We know he's watching down on us and smiling at all of his friends and family. Second, I proposed to Alex not too long ago. She and I are going to be getting married. So the next time this big group gets together it's going to be in celebration. In celebration of things to come, of our union. I just wanted to invite you all to our wedding. There's not a set date yet, but we're going to go back to Canada for this one and it's going to be great. Thank you, that's all I had to say." As I put the microphone back into its' stand, I noticed the crowd erupting into applause. Alex hurried over beside me, taking my hand in hers and pointing a finger at someone in the crowd. Suddenly I heard a familiar voice and the strumming of a guitar as this person began to sing. A moment later I realized who it was. Craig.

"Care to dance?" Alex asked. I nodded and she pulled me closer to her, wrapping her arms around my waist. We danced cheek to cheek and I closed my eyes, taking in her scent and smiling widely as I heard Craig's voice fill the auditorium. Only I could turn a wake into an engagement party, I mused. When I opened my eyes, I thought I caught a glimpse of blonde hair and blue eyes, a hand on my shoulder, and a dimpled smile. But no sooner had I saw it, was it gone. I knew it had been Dylan, and I felt much better knowing he had been here. It was all going to be okay.

- Big shot screaming, "_Put your hands in the sky_,"  
He says, "Give it up boy, give it up or you're gonna die  
You'll get a bullet in the back of the neck  
In the back of the neck right between the eyes." -

**Author's Note: So I lied. I _was_ going to make this long, I really was, but this chapter came out the way it did. Really short. I like the ending, it's a happy ending considering how angsty and sad this story was. I hope you're all satisfied and remember, the sequel's coming sometime after Degrassi returns to the-N! Thank you all for reading.  
**


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